CHAPTER V

Aidan turns on the flashlight. The cave is only two meters wide, but extends inward, about six meters long. Supposedly, finding stolen jewelries is an easy job because there are not many places to hide. Aidan explores the left, while Josh explores the right. Before he reaches the deepest end of the cave, Aidan sees the reflection of a flashlight from a niche. He approaches and looks in. They are there, the missing gold jewelries.

"Josh, I found it," Aidan whispers.

Josh also looks in. After seeing the contents, he pulls a cloth bag from inside the jacket. Josh puts all the jewelries into the cloth bag and puts it back in his jacket. Meanwhile, Aidan takes the jerry can out and steps into the center of the room. He puts the flashlight down to give a little light in the cave. They plan to pour the vinegar all over the room, hoping it would melt the gulls as they set foot into this cave.

Aidan crouches to open the lid of the jerry can. However, before he could open the lid of the jerry can, he feels something running toward him. He doesn’t even have the chance to turn around to see the attacker when something hits him, leaving him lying on the ground. The gull attacks him. Aidan feels tightness because his neck is gripped by the creature. The foul-smelling gull's mouth also tries to bite his face. Quickly, Aidan places his hands in front, trying to hold the creature's face from approaching him. However, he feels the air is getting thinner in his lungs. Aidan is unsure which is more important, moving the creature's hand away from his neck or moving his head.

"Josh!" Aidan shouts in a choked voice. "Josh! Josh!"

Josh turns and sees Aidan wrestling with the gull. Immediately, he reaches for the jerry can. At that moment, something gallops toward where he stands. Josh points the flashlight forward and dazzles the attacker. Then, in full force, he swings the jerry can. The body of the gull that was going to attack him has floated in the air and hit the cave wall.

Aidan continues to struggle with the gull attacking him, placing his left hand to hold the gull's head and stretching his right hand as far as possible. He swings his fist hard at the side of the gull's head. The fist manages to loosen the grip of the claw on his neck. Immediately, the young man places both hands in front of the gull and pushes it hard that it rolls to the side. Aidan crouches down and reaches for a dagger from his jacket pocket and points it forward.

Gulls are agile creatures. This one is already back on its feet and preparing to strike again. When Aidan wags his dagger, the gull growls angrily, showing its sharp teeth.

Not far from there, Josh with a jerry can in his hand approaches the gull lying on the ground. The gull wriggles, trying to get up, but lost quickly to Josh who flushes the contents of the jerry can over its head.

"Eat this, jerk!"

The creature cries out in pain. Its head begins to blister and his skin starts to melt. It reaches for its head, trying to disposes the source of pain. However, the effort is in vain. Josh shows no mercy. The vinegar continues to flush from above, causing the gull to writhe in pain. Its skin is starting to blister, melt, and fall to the ground.

The gull in front of Aidan moves left and right, avoiding Aidan’s slash and then it swiftly jumps to the side and attacks Aidan's right arm. It sticks its sharp teeth into Aidan's arm, causing the young man to let go off the dagger in his hand. The gull continues to bite, hoping to cut off Aidan's forearm.

Aidan feels the flesh on his arm begin to tear, with difficulty Aidan tries to reach for the dagger with his feet. The flesh on his forearm is completely torn now, making him scream in pain. Sweat drops begin to river his face.

"Die!!" In one jump, Josh stabs his dagger into the back of the gull attacking Aidan.

The gull lets go of the bite and screams in pain. It turns to Josh. However, instantly, its body blisters in a scream of anger. Josh looks at the creature, whose body is now starting to melt to the ground.

"Shit man." Josh looks at Aidan's arm, worried. "It looks bad," he continues while helping his friend to stand up.

Aidan holds his injured hand. His blood flows between the fingers and drops to the ground. Josh watches over the entrance to the cave, in case a gull suddenly struck. However, it seems like there were only two gulls.

"We must immediately tend to your wound. Can you walk?" Josh grabs Aidan's waist to help him walk.

"Looks like... oh gosh!" Aidan screams in pain.

Together they return to the forest, looking for a way to where they parked their bicycles. Once there, Josh reaches into his backpack and pulls out a bandana. He takes Aidan's injured hand and bandages his wound. Aidan winces in pain.

"Come on, let's get out of here now. Can you ride your bike? "

Aidan nods, but a thought suddenly crossed his head. "Hey, Josh, the gulls, you know they fall asleep during the day, right?"

"Yup"

"Wouldn't it be easier if we come to them at noon? Infiltrate the cave and flush them with vinegar when they fall asleep?" Aidan mutters with a face full of questions.

"Well...." Josh scratches his head awkwardly. "That is a good suggestion. But, what is interesting about such a hunt? "

"You jerk, Josh! I am really going to kill you!" Aidan shouts in disbelief. He comes forward to attack Josh. Even though his right arm is throbbing, he doesn’t care. That jerk has to receive the consequences.

Josh runs away. "Hey... hey... easy, easy"

Aidan is so eager to choke Josh's neck, but suddenly Josh makes a motion that makes Aidan speechless. His right hand is raised parallel to his body towards Aidan and his left index finger is placed in front of his mouth, signaling that Aidan be silent. Then, he slowly points his left index finger up.

"Shhh, shut up, Aid," Josh whispers. Then, he looks up.

From inside the thick of the forest, they can hear the thunderous rumbling of wings. The sound is certainly not likely to come from birds of normal size. They can see the breeze in the leaves at the top of trees. The sound comes from the depths of the forest and approaches the area where they stand. Josh runs toward the road, looking for a place that is not covered by trees. Aidan follows him. Before long, they see a black shadow hovering above the treetops, moving past them. Josh and Aidan look dumbfounded. As in slow motion, the creature crosses over them. Aidan is rooted to the ground, staring at the creature. He is not sure what kind of animal that is. From below, Aidan can only see that the animal is as big as an adult male with a wing span of two meters.

Apparently, the creature notices the presence of the two teenagers who stand rooted to their spots. As the creature flies past them, Aidan can see its two bright red eyes staring down at the direction Aidan and Josh. Fortunately, the creature continues to fly away. At this moment, Aidan feels the blood flow pumping so fast, it makes him panting. The scene just now really surprises him. He turns to Josh. His friend would know what creature they had just seen. Aidan might be surprised, but Josh's reaction is different. In the dim lights of the street lights, Aidan can see Josh's face turns pale. Josh is not only surprised, but frightened, his body is petrified.

"Josh," Aidan calls, but Josh does not answer, still staring at the sky. "Josh! Josh!"

Josh seems to hear Aidan's voice. He is back from when Aidan shakes his shoulder.

"You okay? What is that creature, Josh? "

"If that is what I think it is...," Josh says quietly. "This is bad, Aid, very bad."